We get it- between school, work, family and social lives, finding time to cook meals at home is difficult. Then add in trying to cook healthy meals everyone will like. Near impossible, right?

Nope! It’s possible to cook delicious and healthy meals without wasting precious time. Work smarter, not harder in the kitchen with these easy tips to try!

Buy prepped vegetables

Most grocery stores have bags and boxes of washed and chopped veggies, ready to be cooked. You can buy bags of broccoli and cauliflower florets instead of chopping up a whole head. Bags of baby spinach are already washed and have the stems removed. And some stores even have a variety of other veggies all chopped up and ready to eat. This will definitely save you some valuable time in the kitchen.

Go frozen

Frozen fruits and vegetables are typically already chopped and have been picked and flash-frozen at the height of freshness, so you know they’ll be good. You can buy mixed bags of the vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower or a stir-fry mix with peppers and onions.

Or you can chop up your own fruits and veggies, place them in ziplock bags and freeze them. This lets you create your own mixes, and works especially well for smoothies.

Think small

The smaller the pieces, the quicker the cooking. Thinly sliced chicken will cook in minutes, whereas a thick, uncut chicken breast takes more time. Stir-frying is one of the best quick-cooking techniques and a quick, easy meal to make. Cook your favorite vegetables and protein together and serve up with brown rice for a healthier version of takeout.

Stay sharp

Make sure your knives along with all your cutting tools are kept sharp. A dull knife not only takes longer to do the job (of cutting things) but also has more risk of hurting yourself. Learn how to sharpen your own knife or take it to a specialty cooking store to learn how.

What tips do you have to speed up cooking in the kitchen? Share your secrets with us!